Kel, the Knight Lady
by ananasfreak47
Summary: This story takes place after Lady Knight, a lot of awkward things happen to her. Interesting pairings. Read and find out. Don't forget to review!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Kel looked up at Owen, surprised.

"He's growing up," she thought. "And he's growing up well."

"When did he get to be so handsome?" Kel said aloud.

"Who is this he you're talking about?" Owen asked.

"Did I just say that aloud?" thought Kel, so embarassed that not even her Yamani mask could cover up her blush. Owen watched, fascinated, as Kel's cheeks started to redden, then abruptly stopped and went away, as if she had regained control of her emotions.

"So who is this fellow you like?" asked Owen. "A pence for your thoughts? Are you thinking about, hmm, I don't know, Quindan? (Kel made a face.) Lerant? (Kel shook her head vehemently.) Or how about one of the men of the King's Own, perhaps a sergeant who is a cousin of a knight named Sir Meathead?" Owen teased. Kel's face turned beet red.

"Don't think we all haven;'t noticed," said Owen, watching her carefully.

"What's all this talk about my mad cousin for?" Dom interrupted as he joined them on the palace wall overlooking Corus. "Here I was, just taking a nice morning stroll, and I hear people talking about my troublesome cousin. What has he done now worth gossiping about?" Kel's blush, if it was even possible, deepened, with Dom noting it carefully. "It must be something juicy, the way even our infamous Lady Knight Stoneface Protector of the Small is blushing," teased Dom.

"Oh, it's nothing really," Kel managed to stammer out. "But it's getting late, and I've wasted enough time already, so see you around later." Kel turned and briskly walked away.

"Why is she being so, so odd all of a sudden?" mused Dom aloud. Owen, who would not have explained the situation to Dom even if his life depended on it, wisely kept quiet and let Dom continue. "I mean , at least she could have said hello, or reacted somehow to my calling her Protector of the Small."

"Maybe it's that time of the month or something," thought Dom. "Women," said Dom with feeling, leaving Owen very confused as Dom walked off, following the path that Kel had taken.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's note: Sorry for the extremely long wait, I just haven't gotten around to typing all the 10 chapters I have handwritten, as I am studying abroad and have been very busy as far as adaptations go. And I've been waiting around for my Dom to show up, which hasn't really happened yet. Heck, I'd even settle for a Neal. ;)

**Clarification** on Chapter 1: Kel was talking about Owen in the very beginning, she was just surprised at how much he has grown up. This does not, however, mean that she likes him as more than a friend. And somehow Owen randomly guessed that she liked Dom…

Everything belongs to Tamora Pierce, who I'm sure would write a story about these people infinitely better than my sorry attempt at a fanfic. I'm still waiting for an official update from her about Kel's adult life, in the meantime, I'm writing this to stimulate my imagination.

So, on to chapter 2.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"They'd make a good match together someday, unfortunately," thought Owen, who secretly had liked Kel ever since arriving at the palace to become a page. He would not take it well, if this intruder, who had only known Kel a little more than seven years to his eleven, were to successfully go after the love of his own life.

Some yards away, Dom had accosted Kel by the practice courts, saying

"I'm sorry for offending you by calling you Stoneface Protector of the Small." When Kel didn't crack a smile or even move a muscle, Dom switched tactics.

"Bad day? Are you okay?" he asked with a concerned look on his face. Kel nodded; then started walking away. "Kel, wait up. What's wrong?" When she didn't respond, Dom raced to catch up with her, and grabbed her by the arm, firmly, and turned her so she was facing him.

"Kel, seriously. This isn't the time to do the I'm-Yamani-so-I-have-to-act-like-I-don't-have-any-feelings act. It's not fooling anyone. Look, Kel. We're friends, right? And friends care about each other and look out for each other. Which is what I'm trying to do here, because you look like you need someone to look out and care for you." At this declaration, Kel really looked at him full in the face, searching for something, and apparently finding nothing there but earnesty, got out a whispered, "Thanks" and a tear leaked out of her eye.

"Aw, Kel, it's really nothing, don't cry, you're starting to scare me now." After seeing another teardrop fall, Dom felt like he had to do something, so he said, as gently as he could, "Kel, come here. It'll be okay." The ever-obedient Kel did as she was told, and walked right into Dom's outstretched arms, as Dom had a sudden revelation: this is what he had been wanting for a long time.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Kel let herself relax into the pair of strong, wonderfully sturdy arms, while her mental self was anything but relaxed.

"Why did I have to go and act that way to Dom of all people?" she berated herself. "Now he'll never like me, not that he ever did before. And why is he being so nice to me? It's just going to make everything harder if he doesn't like me."

Dom, happily oblivious to her endless mind-chatter, eventually felt her relax, and smiled. Now he might actually get to know the real Lady Knight, the one without all the emotionless façades.

"Here, how about we go somewhere more private to talk." Dom offered politely.

"Great," Kel thought. "Here comes the part where he gets really pissed off at me for treating him like horse dung this morning."

"Fine," said Kel tonelessly. Dom led Kel into the forest by the arm, while a shadow appeared on the ground behind them. "Follow, follow, follow" said a voice, unheard by them, while an even smaller voice asked confusedly, "Spy on friends?" "Go," said the first voice.


End file.
